Moments
by thelightsandbuzz
Summary: UPDATE! 'Chaos in November'. -Different moments in the life of two ordinary people...well, not so ordinary. Series of one-shots. Part of 'The Mixed Tape' story-verse. Warren/OC, etc. Enjoy!
1. Waterside Kisses

**This series of one-shots is part of my "The Mixed Tape" story-verse. Each one-shot will be in a different timeline, so consider it as a prequel, in-between, and sequel to the Mixed Tape. It can be read as a stand-alone definitely, but it'll probably make more sense when read together with the longer story. **

**Characters: Warren/Amelia (Mia), Layla/Will, Ethan/Gabriela(OC), Zack/Magenta, etc.  
Genre: Romance/Humor/Friendship/Drama/Action/Adventure  
Format: One chapter, one story**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Waterside Kisses**

_The adults didn't know it then, but Sara Peace would have won their wager 3 years later and the accompanying 100 dollars with it. Only they didn't see. The two children, however, just continued playing, oblivious to the complexities of one little kiss by the waterside._

* * *

_June 28, 1995_

Maxville beach was packed during one hot summer day, with people of all ages, parents and their children, enjoying the lake's cold waters and the occasional breeze. A group of families were camped out near the lifeguard's shack close to the diving docks, with about a dozen beach blankets laid out and chairs with large umbrellas shielding them from the harsh rays of sunlight. Two 7 year old boys were playing catch with a beach ball near the edge of the waters, three teenagers joined a beach volleyball game at a neighboring camp, and two young children were in the middle, making poorly constructed sand castles. The children's parents were all talking amongst themselves on their mass of blankets and chairs, glancing towards their kids occasionally to make sure they were alright.

The two boys who were playing catch eventually got tired of playing and ran over to their parents to tell them they were going for a swim.

"Hey mom, can Luke and I go swimming?" Andrew Landall asked his mom, who was speaking to four other women. One was her sister-in-law Sophie Greene, Luke's mother Rebecca Powers, Sara Peace and Joanna Borden.

Elizabeth Landall looked over at her son and saw his eager face, "Okay, but don't go too far, if you can't see us and we can't see you that means we're coming over to bring you back right away."

"Yes mom, see ya bye!"

Dragging Luke with him after getting permission from his mother as well, the two ran towards the water, but were stopped by a little 3 year old girl who stood up and called after her brother.

"Drew! I wanna swim too! Me and War want to!" she hanged on to him but he pried her fingers off his arm.

"Sorry Mia but only me and Luke can go, you have to wait until the adults take you," he said as he tried to walk away but his sister only pouted at him.

"Don't look at me like that, I promise mom and dad will take you later," she finally relented and slumped down on the sand, while he ran towards his friend and splashed about in the water.

"I wanna go swim," Mia repeated to her friend, who was punching down on the water-soaked sand in his red bucket. He finally upturned the bucket on the ground and got a perfectly molded sand tower. He blew a strand of long brown hair off his face and turned to his friend.

"We can go later after we finish, look! We're almost done!" Warren said as he began shaping the pointed turrets.

Mia looked at their sand castle, and grinned, he was right, they were almost done. The sand castle might look like a mess to a passerby but to the two builders it was the best looking castle in that beach.

"Well what do we have here?" a friendly voice said as he walked up to them, Mia looked up to see her dad smiling at the two.

She stood up and grabbed his hand, pulling him down to sit beside her so that he could admire their handiwork.

"Wow, you and Warren are really good sand castle makers."

"Really dad?" she asked and he nodded enthusiastically.

"Done!" Warren said as he carved out the last finishing touch on their sand castle, grinning at the two.

"Very nice," James Landall commended him. "And look, your dad is coming to see the masterpiece. Hey Baron, isn't this great?"

Baron Battle walked up to the group and smiled at the castle, ruffling Warren's hair affectionately as he crouched down beside him.

"Wow, what a sight. Are you sure you two didn't get any help from the others?" he joked and the two kids shook their head quickly.

For a few minutes the two dads joked around with their kids, admiring their work, and they all eventually went back to their camp to get some lemonade.

Warren and Mia sat under a large umbrella sipping their drinks and drawing on pieces of paper which they compared after finishing. Their parents and the other adults looked on them a few paces away, chatting to one another.

"Selena said she and Hill are going with Scotty to the stores," James said to his friends, referring to the three teenagers who were playing volleyball before. The teen's dads, Mike and Ron, as well as their moms Joanna and Rebecca, nodded at him.

The adults kept talking, and after a while their conversation was led to the subject of Warren and Amelia, as they looked at the two working together on their drawings.

"It's funny how those two are so different yet the same, and they're simply adorable when they tell people what great friends they are," Sara said about her son and Mia.

James chuckled, "Remember the tantrum Amelia had when Warren started school and she couldn't go with him?"

Baron grinned along with the others, "And Warren didn't want to go without his best friend of course."

"Wouldn't it be funny if those two ended up together?" Rebecca remarked smiling.

"Yeah, and when they get their powers they can work together on missions," Ron chuckled.

Sara only smiled, "That does sound terrific."

Elizabeth saw the look on her friends' face and giggled, "It would be really cute if they did end up together. I bet they'll get together when Amy's 18 and about to graduate high school."

Sara laughed, "You know what Liz? I'll take that bet. And I bet they'll have a childhood romance, when Amy's about 6 and Warren 8."

Soon the others were betting on when the two would get together. James shook his head laughingly as they urged him to take on a bet.

"I don't think I should, you go on ahead," he said politely but his wife only placed her hands on his shoulders and gave him a playful squeeze.

"He doesn't want to bet on his little princess' love life, don't you honey?" she smirked.

"Not really no," he replied, but the corners of his mouth was upturned into a small smile.

But the others said their 'no's and their 'go on's laughingly and in the end he relented.

"Alright alright," he said putting his hands up in surrender. "My wager is that they'll be in their mid-thirties when they get together."

The rest of the adults roared with laughter at his bet, and Baron clapped him on the back, grinning madly.

Warren and Mia looked over at the commotion and back at each other.

"What do you suppose they're laughing at?" Warren asked curiously and Mia shrugged.

"Laughing about adult stuff I guess..."

The two went back to work on their drawings and paid no more attention to the adults' laughter. What they found so funny was none of their concern, and soon the two children went back to play on the sand, playing tag.

* * *

3 years later, the same set of families was camped out at Maxville beach once again on a warm summer day. 6 year old Amelia and 8 year old Warren were running around on the sand as they had done countless of times over the last 3 years, but this time they were flying their kites. The rest of the children were scattered about the beach in groups, and the parents occupied their same spot near the lifeguard's shack.

"It's getting really high up Warren, do you think I should let it down a bit?" Mia asked her friend Warren as he too, held onto the end of his own kite.

"Try tugging on it a bit, that should help," he replied casually, sounding as if he knew what he was doing.

Mia tugged on the line, but the wind was too strong, in the next second the line slipped off her fingers and the kite flew off downwind, towards the docks.

"Oh!" Mia exclaimed as she watched after her kite.

Warren quickly reeled in his kite, made much easier because of a sudden loss of breeze. He could see Mia's kite land at the side of the docks.

"Come on Mia, we'll get it back," he said comfortingly as he took her hand and ran with her towards their parents to tell them where they were going.

"Alright, but don't be long okay?" Sara told the two and they walked away quickly towards their fallen kite.

"Look, it's right there," Warren pointed out, and Mia tugged on his hand as she quickly made her way towards it.

When they got to the kite at the end of the dock, Mother Nature stepped in and blew a strong breeze around them. The kite that was stuck on the railing untangled quickly and flew off towards the water.

"Aww..." Mia said sadly as she placed her hands on the railing and looked towards the waters. "I have the worst luck."

Warren was beside his friend and held out his kite to her, "It's okay Mia, look, we've still got one more kite to play with, here," and he put the kite in her hands.

Mia smiled up at him, "Thanks Warren, you're the best."

Warren smiled at Mia to cheer her up. He then leaned down towards her and quickly kissed her on the lips. Mia looked at him in wonder as he took a step back. He looked at her for a moment and thought that by giving her a kiss he made her feel better. After all, he had seen some of the adults and the teens he knew do the same thing, and they all seemed happy after they kissed.

After a few seconds he took Mia's hand again and the two ran back towards the sand, trying to get their kite back up into the air.

If their first kiss had been involved in the adult's bet, Sara Peace would have won 100 dollars because her bet was exactly on point. But they never saw what had taken place, and if they had, they would soon realize that the two kids' relationship in the next few years would actually be classified as a childhood romance, which would then fall back into friendship in their pre-teen years.

That particular moment might have been missed by the adults, and in years removed from Warren and Mia's memories, but it was nevertheless a simple mark of a friendship that was to last a lifetime, but not without its own struggles.

* * *

**A/N: And there's the first chapter! Hope you guys liked and I would love to get some feedback :) Any suggestions for future moments are also welcome. **


	2. Homecoming Aftermath

**Homecoming Aftermath**

_It was the start of his friendship with Will Stronghold, a boy he would never have thought of becoming good friends with. The events of homecoming also brought him 4 other friends he would come to see as a family. But it was all because of the advice of a great friend, who urged him to work on his tendencies to push people away from him._

* * *

_September 19, 2005_

Stopping at the bedroom door that had a 'Do Not Enter' sign on it, Mia pushed it open, disregarding the sign as always, and entered the room. She took notice of the disheveled sheets on the bed and a cell phone on the floor.

"Warren?" she called and heard the shower running from the adjacent bathroom.

She walked towards the bathroom door and opened it easily. She poked her head in and called out again.

"Warren?"

Warren poked his head out of the shower curtain on the side and gave Mia an incredulous look.

"Mia can't you see I'm busy?" he asked exasperatedly. "Has it also occurred to you that I'm not wearing any clothes and need something called privacy?"

Mia grinned cheekily at him, head still poking in by the door, "Oh please, there's nothing there I haven't seen before."

Warren gave her a murderous glare before closing the shower curtain again. If she had been anyone else they would be sporting some burns at that moment. Mia, however, could still get away with annoying Warren to no ends.

"You're impossible!" He called out loudly amidst the noise of the water falling.

"Well hurry it up so I can talk to you properly!" she retorted and closed the bathroom door. She headed over to his bed and sat down on it cross-legged.

She waited for a few more minutes, examining the books on his bedside table and flipping through their pages. When Warren finally came out, he rolled his eyes at his friend, lying on her stomach glancing through the pages of his 'Great Expectations' novel. She looked up at him and noted the towel around his waist and his dripping hair.

"Finally, you take longer than me in the shower," she teased as he shook his head at her and rummaged for clothes in his closet.

Finding a fresh pair of jeans and a t-shirt, he pulled them on as Mia looked away pointedly, fiddling with his bedside clock radio as he dressed.

When he was done dressing, he took his wet towel and threw it at Mia's back, signaling that she could finally turn around.

"Eww!" she exclaimed in reply as she took the towel that fell on her shoulder with two fingers and threw it aside. "Are you done being mean to me now?" she said as she crossed her arms.

"Never," he replied simply as she stood up from the bed and huffed at him.

"Well let's just go downstairs and eat, your mom left breakfast for us," she said as she pushed past him to get to the door. She walked down the wooden staircase with her head held high, a sign that she wasn't too happy with his teasing. Warren on the other hand, only rolled his eyes and followed her down.

* * *

Twisting her bacon absentmindedly around her fork, Mia looked at Warren thoughtfully as he drank his orange juice.

"Gwen Grayson as Royal Pain... It still sounds strange when I say it," Mia sighed. "I've met her before you know, like once when Andrew had to do a project with her."

Her brother Andrew was still a little in shock at finding out one of his classmates had turned evil and made all of their comrades into babies.

Warren set down his glass and tapped his fingers on the table, "Well some people can hold grudges for a long time. Gwen thought she would win for once so she went all out."

"Too bad you and your friends were there to save the day eh?" Mia grinned back at him.

"We were just trying to help," Warren simply replied and Mia's smile widened.

"You're being too modest," she commented. "Are you going to tell me what happened? Andrew only knows the general details, he was much too worried about remembering what he saw as a baby."

So Warren started his tale of homecoming, starting with getting his dad's stupid tux from the closet, flying over to Sky High in his mom's jetpack, meeting his date Layla, and then on to Gwen revealing herself as Royal Pain and turning everyone into babies using the Pacifier. He recalled what happened as he helped Will and the others battle Lash, Speed and Penny. He then told Mia what happened as Royal Pain and Will battled it out, and the school fell from the sky.

Mia was a silent listener, widening her eyes at the right parts, and sighing in relief as Warren got to the part where they finally de-pacified everyone and sent Royal Pain and her goonies to jail.

She crossed her arms on the table and looked at Warren interestingly, "Sooo..." she started.

"So what?"

Mia cocked her head to the side, "You're officially a hero now. Congratulations."

Warren crossed his arms across his chest and looked away, pondering her words.

"It was only a school incident."

"And your point is? That it's not the same thing as a mission outside?" Mia asked, as if pointing out the obvious. "Because it totally is. There was a villain, and you helped to save the whole school. Now I think that's a bigger feat than say...a bank robbery."

"Whatever," Warren replied, taking a bite out of his toast. "Stronghold and the others did most of the hero work anyway."

Mia shook her head, "Again, you're being too darn modest. I heard you all worked together as a team."

Warren shrugged and she sighed at him exasperatedly.

"So I'm guessing you don't hate Will Stronghold anymore?"

"I never hated him in the first place," Warren reasoned. "Just...annoyed would be the word for it."

"Okay, you're all friends now I suppose? Nothing brings people closer together than a crisis you know," she grinned back at him.

"I suppose we're sort of friends now, I don't know."

With her eyebrow raised, she questioned, "You don't know? Well aren't you hanging out with them soon?"

Warren stood up to place his empty dishes on the sink to wash them, "They invited me to the mall later on today, so I suppose I'll go for a little bit."

Mia sighed as she too stood up and cleared her dishes after Warren. She knew exactly what was going on in his head, so she was resolved on fixing it straightaway.

"They sound like really great friends," she said, sitting on the table across him and rested her chin on her hands. "Unlike your old friends Lash and Speed, who are by the looks of it spending quite a bit of time in juvi."

Warren smirked at that, "They deserve it."

"But going back to your new friends, everyone except for Will has been keeping close to you for a few weeks right? Ever since you met Layla at the Paper Lantern?"

"Yeah."

"So they liked you even before you all saved the school, and you must have liked them too because you didn't reject Layla's offer to be her date."

"Only because it would annoy Stronghold the most."

Mia rolled her eyes at him, "Yeah, at first you thought that, but you grew to like them eventually."

Warren crossed his arms across his chest and looked at Mia suspiciously.

"Where are you going with all this psychoanalysis?" he finally asked and Mia sighed.

"I'm only stating facts War, and you and I know that you consider the group very likable, only that you're keeping quite a distance from them."

Warren paused at what she said and pondered, "Are you saying that I'm pushing them away? How can I when I'm constantly hanging out with them?"

"I didn't really mean physically, I meant that you haven't really shown them the whole you. They probably just think of you as the tough bad-ass guy in leather who's really a hero on the inside. Which you are," she added hastily. "But they don't know Warren Peace, the friendly person who's smart and caring, but just really introverted."

Warren looked at her, a little surprised at what she really thought of him. Mia read his face and smiled reassuringly.

"If we never knew each other as kids, I don't think we'd ever really be the best of friends now. We can be acquaintances sure, but you wouldn't bother to get to know me and you wouldn't let me get to know you."

"You don't know that Mia," he replied quietly and Mia just looked at him.

"It's just what I would imagine, because that's what you're doing with the gang, you're friends but you don't really know them that well and they don't know you at all."

Warren was quiet and Mia knew he was thinking her words over. Had he really been that introverted all that time? A quick yes resounded in his head as he thought about most of his time at Sky High, with classmates here and there that he knew but never really bothered to get to know. How he sat alone in the cafeteria, alone with his thoughts and hidden behind his books. How everyone assumed he was just as bad as his father because he never really gave them a chance to see that he wasn't.

Mia was right, he needed an attitude change, and it was going to start with being good friends with Will, Layla, Ethan, Zack, and Magenta.

* * *

**A/N: Review if you liked it and don't hesitate to give me more ideas for next chapters :D**


	3. Graduation Blues

**Graduation Blues**

_"I'm not wanted there, trust me," she said to her mom, who only shook her head sadly._

_How wrong she was to think it were so._

* * *

_June 15, 2008 _

Graduations at Sky High were always attempts to be like other normal graduations; therefore they still had a ceremony where they handed out diplomas. When that ceremony was finished, it was on to the introductions, which was a procession of the new heroes in their costumes while their alter-ego names were called out.

To Warren, the ceremony was only going to be one thing, and that was long. As he sat down on the seats in front of the stage, he looked around at the grand hall belonging to the Maxville Hero Centre, which was rented out to the school for the joyous occasion. It was occupied with large marble pillars on the side and chandeliers in different parts of the ceiling. He could see the students' relatives piling into the room and settling on their seats, chattering madly. Finally he noticed his mother come in, accompanied by her three closest friends Elizabeth Landall, Sophie Greene and Principal Powers.

Mia's mom and aunt, he noted as he looked to see who was behind them, but saw no signs of her. But really, he never expected her to come anyway, what with everything that has happened to them since...

"Hey, Warren! Over here!" he heard Zack's voice near him and he looked to the right to see his friends.

"Are you excited?" Layla happily said, not able to contain her excitement for one of her close friends was about to be legally known as a superhero.

"Yeah I guess," Warren replied as he sat with them on the seats, he pulled on his long graduation robe and tugged on the neckline. "I just wish we didn't have to wear these robes first."

"Your costume is all ready then?" Will grinned and Warren simply nodded.

A microphone feedback was heard and everyone turned to the stage where Principal Powers stood.

"May we have all of our graduating seniors to their proper places, we are about to begin."

So Warren parted with his friends, and joined the queue, standing behind Roger Oswald who greeted him jovially. As he walked with the rest of his classmates towards their seats he passed by the three women he saw earlier. His mother stood up with her friends to hug and congratulate him and he politely said his thanks.

When Mrs. Landall hugged him she said, "I'm so proud of you Warren, and so is Amelia of course."

He gave her a small smile when she released him, but looking at her eyes he could see that it was the exact same shade of hazel as Mia's. His breath stopped short as the three women sat back down and let him walk along, with nothing on his mind but Mia's eyes. He felt a sharp pang of guilt as it just dawned on him that she wasn't there, wasn't with him in that moment, the moment that they have both been waiting for-not always excitedly and with happiness-but nevertheless awaited for since they were much younger.

So as the ceremony started, he tried to focus on what he had to do, but his old friend was still in a part of his mind, and he hated himself for being in that situation. He thought about their fight, and as he was called up to introduce himself as Flare to the superhero community, he swore to himself that he would be a better person. He was a superhero now for goodness sake, not a brooding high school student easily affected by trivial teenage matters, he was a superhero, a symbol of peace, justice, and integrity. He had to be better; had to be a role model for everyone. As he heard the applause all meant for him he promised to himself that someday soon, he will make things better between him and Amelia Landall.

Someday.


	4. Brotherly Love

_Just a note, this short drabble would make more sense if you've read "The Mixed Tape"._

**Brotherly Love**

* * *

_March 20, 2010_

"You can go to prison for this you know."

"Shut up Will."

"What? This happens a lot in normal schools, and the teachers always get fired and or go to jail."

"Glad to know I have your support," Warren replied sarcastically while Will roared with laughter.

He laughed some more as he clapped Warren on the back, "You know I'm kidding Warren, I'm glad you got together with Mia."

"Plus," Will added as he slumped down on the couch. "I don't think you'd mind if you got fired huh? At least you have a reason to get back to field work," he finished, referring to Warren's placement at Sky High so that the International Association of Superheroes could protect him from the villain named Doctor Grey.

"I guess that's one way of looking at it, but never mind that, Mia and I are planning to keep it a secret for now," Warren replied as he turned on the TV.

"Good luck with that," Will smirked. "Be sure to control yourself around her okay? I know how you are with your girlfriends," he finished jokingly.

Warren threw a small fireball at him in retaliation as he blushed crimson. Will laughed as he brushed the fire off easily and proceeded on teasing Warren some more.

"Just remember, when you're alone in your classroom with Mia, no means no."

That time, another fireball managed to burn off a part of Will's hair. Warren smirked and Will raised his hands up in surrender, laughing hysterically.


	5. Working Undercover

**Working Undercover**

_The work is never really complete, for there will always be at least one conflict each day, most of the time more. And it was their job to help. No one ever said accepting the work was easy._

* * *

_June 29, 2012_

"What do you mean he left the IAS?" Mia asked incredulously.

Ronald Anderson, the co-director of the IAS, shook his head sadly, "I'm sorry Amelia, but that was his decision, I cannot enclose his reasons for leaving, even if I wanted to."

"But sir, if this is an undercover mission you can tell me. I saw him for goodness sake! He turned me away and threatened me. Do you know how that feels?"

"I'm very sorry Mia," he replied, and Mia noticed his softer tone of voice. "I cannot tell you everything."

Because she wasn't family, Mia thought as she walked away. Only close family members of the super in question are authorized to know if their family member is working undercover. Never ex-girlfriends.

Mia felt however, that he _is _working undercover, even if no one could confirm it. Warren could never be that hostile, not even during the time when they broke up 4 months ago. She only saw him a couple of times during that period, since she was assigned a long mission in South East Asia and Warren in South America.

When she came back to Maxville recently, she bumped into him downtown. He looked at her once then turned away. He was tanned, with his hair cropped short and face unshaven. He looked very different, but Mia knew without a doubt that it was Warren.

Mia called him back and asked what was wrong with him, and he told her to leave or else he would hurt her. Taken aback, Mia watched him leave, and her eyes widened at the skull tattoo on the back of his neck.

She hoped that if he was working undercover, it would be over soon. And if he wasn't, then, she needed a plan of action.

* * *

She soon found herself at Will and Layla's house in Suburbian Maxville. Layla was ecstatic to see her, especially since she hadn't seen Mia for four months. Will was there as well, but behind his happy face was a little bit of apprehension. He knew why Mia was there.

Mia at first fussed over Layla's very swollen belly. She was just over four months into her pregnancy, and Mia could see just how happy the couple was.

"Last time I saw you that baby was just conceived," Mia said jokingly, and Layla laughed in reply.

"Oh Mia I missed you! I hope you won't leave us again for such a long time," Layla said as the two sat down.

"I probably won't for a while, I was just assigned to cover cross-country, so I'll be renting a place here," Mia replied, looking at Will who sat down across them.

"That's good," he said. "I hope you're here when the baby is born."

They talked about the baby for a few more minutes, and their excitement was clearly shown. Will and Layla are the first out of the large group of friends around their age they have acquired in the IAS to have a baby. He or she would be the first of the next generation super children. Soon the three were talking about which couple was next to have a child. Since Ethan was just married to his longtime girlfriend Gabriela, all fingers pointed to them.

When Layla excused herself to go to the bathroom, Mia turned to Will and changed their conversation topic.

"Have you heard from Warren?" she asked, and Will finally revealed his apprehensive face.

"Not anymore than you have Mia," he replied sadly. "Last month I was at the office and was told by the staff that Flare had quit. I thought they meant he was off to start the Elements team with Vee, Tom, and Mandy, but it turned out that he actually quit. I haven't heard from him since."

"I saw him yesterday," Mia said sadly, and Layla heard her as she came back in the room.

"He's here in Maxville?" Layla asked quietly and Mia nodded.

"Maybe he just dropped by here to do something for whoever he's working for, because from what I heard with the other supers he's been spotted quite a lot in Florida," Mia went on and the two friends looked at her forlornly. They had lost their best friend for over a month, and both missed him terribly.

"It's an undercover mission," Mia continued. She wasn't asking a question, and Will and Layla understood straightaway.

"That's what we've speculated on, even though no one can affirm it," Will replied.

The two had no way of knowing either, even though they were two of Warren's best friends.

Mia nodded, "I hope he'll finish with this mission soon," she said quietly and the two couldn't agree more.

Layla reached out to hug Mia, knowing how she felt at that moment. The two might have broken up months ago, but all of their friends knew that they still loved each other.

* * *

The job was almost finished. After one month of surveillance in Florida's black market for supervillain weapons, Warren was finally assigned to be part of the distribution team. What that meant was that he would get to be in contact with all the customers and track them. The final stop was incidentally Maxville.

He never expected to see Mia there, out of all the people he knew in that city. Last he heard of her she was still somewhere in South East Asia. When he saw her walking past him in the downtown street and called after him, he knew he would have a hard time keeping up a façade. But it was his job to be the villain, it has been for the past month, and the moment with Mia was no different.

Warren threatened her if she didn't leave him, and his guilt rose up in him when he saw her reaction. It was true in a way; he would end up hurting her if he had spent a few more moments with her. The people he was working with were around that area, selling their weapons to the villains in underground Maxville. He couldn't risk them seeing Mia, so he let her go.

He only hoped that she knew he was on a mission. If not then he dreaded her moving on and finally letting him go. They had broken up for months, but he couldn't imagine her ending up with someone else.

"Hey Hothead, you got those lasers for the techies?" a person to his right said, indicating the laser weapons for a group of villains who had powers over technology.

Warren snarled at the nickname, reminding him of Boomer and his high school days. But the name certainly caught on in their circle, which helped his reputation greatly as he started out in the organization.

"They're in the truck, ready to ship," he simply replied and his companion nodded.

"Good work, we'll see you tomorrow at the pier."

He left, leaving Warren to pack up his things and heading over to his house for the first time in almost four months. He had been living in an apartment building in Miami since he started his mission a month ago. Before that he moved around in South America, staying the longest in Brazil where he tracked down one of his archenemy in a large kidnapping scheme.

Opening the door to his condo unit, he saw that it was exactly the same way he left it four months ago. He dropped his rucksack on the leather couch and walked towards the bathroom. He heard a slight crunch as he stepped on the rug in front of a bookcase and he looked down to see pieces of glass beneath his shoe. He picked up a picture frame beside the glass, and he saw a picture of Mia and himself, smiling up at the camera. Warren looked at the shelf across the room where the frame used to be, and remembered with a pang of guilt why the frame ended up smashed.

The two had just finished a mission where they were partnered up. They were successful, but Mia had undergone severe blood transfusion because she set herself up to be taken by the villain they had been tracking. He had vampire-like qualities, and he craved for superhero blood. They eventually caught him and sent him to prison, but it was at Mia's expense.

He remembered how angry he was at her for putting her life in danger like that.

_xoxoxoxoxoox_

"_We finished the mission Warren, and I'm fine, stop being so melodramatic," Mia said as she picked up her bag from the couch. _

"_I only said that you shouldn't be too rash on your missions, and when you have a partner Mia, you should consider their opinions," Warren commented harshly, standing by the wall bookshelf, and looking at her intently._

_Mia replied by raising an eyebrow, "Too rash? Just because I didn't follow your plan to drag out the mission for a few more weeks? And what was the problem? I told you what I had planned out."_

"_My plan wouldn't have sent you to the hospital needing 3 liters of blood!" Warren snapped, prompting Lia to glare at him even more. _

"_Don't talk to me in that tone Warren, we were partners, I had a right to act on my own accord. Remember you're not the boss of me!" Mia snapped back. The intensity between their gazes was enough to burn through the walls. Not one party wanted to back down. _

_Warren shouted at her with his fists clenched, "Well someone has to be!" _

_Mia's eyes clouded in anger as she picked up a picture frame from the side table beside her and threw it at him. Warren moved out of the way in time and the frame smashed against the bookcase, pieces falling on the rug at his feet. _

"_Maybe you should go ahead and find someone else to boss around, because it certainly won't be me," Mia said harshly, and without waiting for his reply, she picked up her bag and headed out the door. _

_The door slammed and Warren threw the crumpled up uniform he had in his hands at the wall. Stepping away from the broken frame, he sat on the couch and placed his head in his hands, frustrated._

_xoxoxoxoxoxoxxox_

Mia left the country the day after that event, headed for her mission in South East Asia. He left Maxville soon after, due to his mission in South America. He saw her a couple of times during their missions when they had to go to the IAS headquarters, and he was glad that their anger towards each other had dissipated. They were civil towards each other, but their relationship had ended.

Warren was reminded of the times they had broken up in the past, and hoped that he could talk to her soon to settle things. Seeing her the other day and acting hostile towards her did not help him in the slightest bit, so he hoped that he would get the chance to apologize as soon as he was finished with his work.

He lied down on his cold bed, but sleep did not find him immediately. He stared up at the dark ceiling, and thought about the mission he had to end soon. Very soon.


	6. Chaos in November

**Chaos in November**

_New parents are expected to be nervous and scared beyond their wits. But nothing compares with the chaos of childbirth, especially if none of your friends know anything about bringing a child into the world._

* * *

_November 14, 2012_

"How long did Will say he was going to be away for his mission? I thought he was on vacation," Mia asked as she sat across from Layla in a seafood restaurant by Maxville Bay. The two were accompanied by Warren, who sat beside Mia and was preoccupied with his phone, where he was reading mission files sent to him from the IAS headquarters.

"Yeah, he is, but his archenemy Helios escaped from prison the other day, he couldn't say no to working on the mission," Layla replied, sighing. "Besides, I don't think he'll be missing anything, the doctor said I'm not due for another two weeks."

"Let's hope she's right," Warren added to the conversation. To him, Layla looked like she was going to pop very soon. Mia and Warren have been with Layla for the whole day, and both could see that she was having a hard time walking, getting up, sitting down, and well, everything else, due to her humongous belly.

Layla finished off her shrimp and vegetables and took a sip of her drink, "Well I haven't felt anything out of the ordinary really, just the usual disability that comes with this enormous thing," she laughed.

"That's why we're here," Mia joked and the two women laughed.

Layla got up to go to the bathroom and Mia went along with her, leaving Warren at the table so that he could pay for their meal.

Mia stood in front of the mirror as she fixed her hair, and waited for Layla to finish in the stall behind her.

A few moments later she heard Layla say in a weak voice, "Oh no, not now, not here."

Mia moved towards the stall door, concerned for her friend, "Layla? What's going on? Are you alright?"

She heard the lock on the door move, and Mia opened it cautiously. She saw Layla clutching on to her belly, wincing in pain.

"My water just broke," she said as Mia helped her out of the stall and steadied her on her feet.

Trying hard not to show her panic, Mia walked her out the door, "Let's go then, we have to go to the hospital."

"No Mia, I can't have this baby now, Will should be here," Layla panted as she stopped walking, but Mia urged her to go on.

"We're going to call him Layla, he'll be here soon," she reassured Layla.

"But his mission-"

"He'll be here," Mia said again, hoping to calm the pregnant woman's nerves.

She scanned her eyes out across the room to find Warren, and when she spotted him standing by their table, she shouted and waved her arms frantically.

"Warren! Layla's in labour!"

The occupants in the restaurant turned their way, and the staff proceeded on helping the very pregnant lady and her hysterical friends towards the exit. Warren ran towards the parking lot and quickly brought the car in front of the entrance, and he helped Layla onto the backseat.

He was on the phone with Will the instant he started driving towards Maxville Hospital for Superheroes.

"Will, you better get back here quickly, Layla's in labour," he said swiftly and he heard a thud and a yell from the other end. It seemed as if Will was fighting with someone.

"What!" Will yelled back. "She can't be!"

Another strangled yelp and Warren could tell that Will had just punched someone through a wall.

"Well, yes, we're taking her to the hospital now, so you might want to finish your mission quickly," Warren replied and heard more shouts from the other end.

"Tell Layla I'll be there I promise!" came Will's strangled reply and his phone disconnected.

"Where's Will?" Layla asked worriedly.

"He said he's almost done with his mission and he'll be here soon," Warren reassured her.

"He better be, he can't miss the birth of his child," Layla winced as she felt another contraction coming along. She gripped Mia's hand tightly and Mia briefly locked eyes with Warren on the rearview mirror.

"Drive faster Warren!" Mia asked, as she felt her arm go numb from Layla's grip.

"I am, we're almost there," Warren said as he turned sharply to the right, feeling the panic grow inside him. He had never been in a situation quite like this before; driving a pregnant woman in labour while his girlfriend hyperventilated beside her was completely out of his expertise.

Finally he screeched to a halt in the hospital parking lot, and the three got out of the car. Warren carried Layla to the doors, while Mia rushed ahead to arrange for healers. The healers recognized the three and they immediately called Layla's healer. They brought in a wheelchair to take Layla to the delivery room.

The three were left alone in the room while one of the assistant healers fetched more supplies. Layla was gripping Warren's hand this time, while Mia made the necessary calls to Layla's parents and their friends.

Layla felt another contraction coming along and she closed her eyes tightly in pain as the pain subsided.

"Where's Will?" she asked through gritted teeth and Warren looked at her worriedly. "I think this baby wants out very soon."

"He promised he'll be here soon, can you hold it in for a while Layla, just until he gets here?" Warren asked, panic clearly in his voice, and a sort of pleading look on his face.

Mia hit him on the arm as she got off the phone with Magenta and heard Warren's request, "For goodness' sake Warren, you can't tell a pregnant lady to hold it in."

* * *

An hour later, the couple slumped exhaustedly on the benches beside a private birthing room heard the cry of a baby. Moments after that they saw Will come out, a tired but happy look on his face. He had come to the hospital just minutes before Layla gave birth, taking over Warren's and Mia's roles as supports who had very numb hands from Layla's death grips. At least Will could take the pain more easily than their two friends.

"Hey guys, come in here and meet the new addition to our family," Will said to the two, who promptly stood up. Warren grasped Mia's hand as the two walked inside.

Layla was carrying a blue bundle, and when she saw the two come in she smiled widely in response.

"Mia, Warren, meet Cameron Stronghold."

Mia and Warren looked down at the sleeping baby in Layla's arms, and all their frazzled nerves, panic, and tiredness from earlier on that day went away. Layla handed over Cameron to Mia, who held the baby so delicately in her arms, a big smile on her face. Warren looked at the baby beside Mia, and a small smile appeared on his face as well.

"He has your red hair," Mia chuckled softly at Layla and Will, who sat beside each other on the bed.

"And Will's nose," Warren added lightheartedly.

The parents smiled, and as Mia rocked the baby slowly, Layla looked at Will and he nodded at her to go on.

"I can't thank you two enough for helping me out today," Layla said to the two.

"Anything for you Layla," Mia replied.

Warren held on to Cameron's tiny hand as he opened his eyes and moved slightly, "Yeah, it was no trouble at all."

Mia had to grin at Warren's comment, and Layla laughed in response.

"You two took it so well, considering we haven't gone through this before," Layla said and Will nodded fervently. "So we wanted to ask you something."

Mia and Warren nodded at her to go on as Mia sat down on the seat beside the bed, still holding Cameron.

"Will you two be Cameron's godparents?"

Warren and Mia looked at each other and smiled. They looked at their two very lucky friends and then at their new family member.

"Of course."

"We would love to."

The rest of Layla and Will's family and friends came in to see Cameron Stronghold later on in the night. For most of them, the day had been exhausting, especially for the superheroes who have travelled far to head over to Maxville. Upon seeing the new bundle of joy however, they all recognized that their work had been for something significant. If it meant they were keeping the world at peace for newborns such as Cameron, the next generation, then their work was worth it indeed.

**TBC**


End file.
